Cabin fever or the travel jitters. It's a toss-up. We feel like horses ready to break from the starting gate. We're ready to head out on our "Blue-Collar Book Tour" (name donned by Bill). But first we have a book to finish. We can already picture it in our minds. A hardcover binding with dust jacket, filled with exciting and interesting chapters, color pictures, sketches, charts and graphs, contributions by the girls, a long-long list of thank-yous and acknowledgements. It's going to be a joy to receive te first copy in our hot grubby hands.

Our respect for fellow authors has increased exponentially. It's absolutely amazing how much work goes into a book. Sofar, I'm only talking about the text. Once the text is (re-)written, the text layout needs to be designed, as does the cover, the organization inside the book needs to be figured out and probably much more needs to be done that we haven't thought of yet. Only then can we send it out for printing. Right now it feels like we're not moving though. We've got to keep our eye on the goal to make everything come to fruition the way we envision. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Sunset over Old Murphy Dome Road.

The temperatures keep above zero. Great for outdoor activities. Once the sun peaks over the mountains at about 1pm, it's time to get ready to go out. Sometimes we stay near home, sometimes we go visit the neighbors. Sometimes we walk, sometimes we get a ride. Sometimes we ride on a four wheeler, sometimes in a sled behind a snow mobile. There is an abundance of winter activities.

Bill and the girls are getting a ride from Muttley.

Down the snow covered road.

In sleds, behind a snow mobile.

The bus is a lonely dot alongside the snowy road.

What would an I-phone be without a chess-app? Not as much fun that's for sure. Cheyenne has totally got the hang of it. Jasmine prefers the checkers game. Robin, well, she just likes to press any button within her reach. It is incredible to see how they adapt to this technology. They figure out things that we don't know about, especially within text message options.

Thinking hard about a chess game.

We're making bouncy balls from crystals and water.

Thank goodness for my neighbor Jennifer; my local Starbucks, Blockbuster and Mrs Fields. It's a refreshing little walk, not even half a mile, before I make myself at home; leaning against the kitchen counter. Coffee is brewing on the always going wood stove. An afternoon is quickly filled with mother-to-mother and wife-to-wife talk. Talk of business is also a common subject.

Jennifer is a tie-dye artist and business owner. She works from her home; also a dry cabin, like ours. After a fire burned down her business two years ago, she's slowly putting the pieces back together. Because of her remote location she's setting up a website to gain access to online orders. Soon this website will feature a special Pedouin-design shirt! Once her website is up and running, I'll be sure to post it.

This coming spring the girls and I will get a chance to experience a tie-dye party. I have no clue what the process is, but I'm sure we'll find out.

A fresh coating of snow. It's still winter!

Now that I go to town to do the internet updates, I don't mess around with it at home anymore. This time I'm at Barnes&Noble. The fireplace is on, a light background music plays, people are coming and going. It's a busy buzzing place. The internet reception is lightning fast. I'm by myself; not to the liking of Cheyenne and Jasmine who almost play tug of war to go with me. We'll all go to town on Thursday for Jasmine's birthday. That consoles them some.

On Friday we're going to have a visitor. Len from the bay area in California is coming to spend the weekend with us. And he's bringing the first parts of the bus engine! Now I'll find out what a bell-housing really looks like. We're all going to learn a whole lot about bus mechanics.

Sunrise over the Alaska Range as viewed from Farmers Loop Ridge.

January - A month full of excitement!

Jasmine's 6th Birthday

What a treat, Jasmine gets to spend another birhtday at a hotel. Last year in Parker, Arizona. This year right here in Fairbanks, Alaska. A 3,000 mile diference.

Birthday girl! Ready to go out with mom on a special date!

Happy Birthday Jasmine! May there be many more!

The Pedouins are celebrating!

Cheyenne is reading a night time story.

The bus title has finally arrived!

We were so wrong when we thought we had the title for the bus ready to go back in October 2010. It's taken three more months of back and forth with the previous owners and the Department of Transportation. The old title was so old (1990s), they had to find it in the archives beore it could oficially be transferred. But the deed is done now! One big step forward!

Transfer of the bus title.

It's official! We are finally the owners of the bus!

Thanks for all your help Len!

Len from California is here!